Chemical Engineering students to Get New Prize and Medal Named After Inspirational Professor

November 19, 2009

Prof P R Krishnaswamy inspired many students and colleagues over his 26-year career at the Faculty of Engineering. The Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering is raising S$15,000 to set up a prize and medal named in his memory to reward outstan

A dedicated professor who taught for more than 26 years in the Faculty of Engineering will be remembered through a prize and medal to be set up by the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.

The P R Krishnaswamy Memorial Medal and Prize, named in honour of the late Prof P R Krishnaswamy, will go to the top student in one of the core modules for the Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical Engineering) programme.

To establish the Prize and Medal, the Department needs to raise a total of S$15,000. Thanks to his family and supporters, it has received $13,252 as of 20 October 2009.

Prof Krishnaswamy taught many of the core modules, especially in the area of process control, and had also initiated and contributed to the growth of process control research in the Department. He had joined the Faculty in 1982 and thanks to his dedication to teaching and mentoring, had built up many friendships with students and colleagues. His passing in December 2008 saddened many at the Department.

One of his former students, Dr. N.V.S.N. Murthy Konda, who is now a Research Associate at Imperial College London, said: “He was a knowledgeable and articulate professor, yet very simple and soft-spoken. An approachable supervisor, he had a balanced blend of mentoring qualities from the East and the West.”

Said one of his colleagues, Asst Prof Lakshminarayanan Samavedham: “He was a kind colleague, very committed to his work, constructive even in criticism and always helpful.”

Make an online gift in recognition of Prof Krishnaswamy’s contributions to advancing the future of many Engineering graduates as well as his contributions to the Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering.